The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has issued a warning about a phishing scam that uses blackmail tactics to extort money from victims, often involving threats linked to adult website use.

The Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS) has received reports of emails threatening to release compromising videos unless the victim pays a cryptocurrency ransom, typically in Bitcoin.

This type of extortion is known as Financially Motivated Sexual Extortion (FMSE).

To increase credibility, scammers often include personal details such as passwords or home addresses, usually sourced from historic data breaches, to intimidate recipients into compliance.

In one 2024 case, a man in his thirties received multiple emails containing a real password from one of his online accounts, demanding a ransom of £500. He recognised it as a scam and deleted the emails, but was later locked out of several social media accounts and discovered his bank account had been compromised.

According to the NCSC, individuals who receive such emails should avoid engaging with the sender and forward the message to [email protected], before deleting it.

People are urged not to pay the ransom. Doing so could lead to further targeting, as scammers may share details of “willing” victims with others.

Anyone who suspects they may have been affected by a data breach can check their exposure at haveibeenpwned.com. If a current password appears in a phishing email, it should be changed immediately. Guidance on creating secure passwords is available at the government’s Stop Think Fraud website.

Victims of extortion or those worried about the sharing of intimate images should contact their local police by calling 101.

Anyone who has lost money or provided financial details should report it to Action Fraud via actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.